


Gradual

by JackyM



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Gift Fic, M/M, also some mentions of nudity! nothing explicit though!, cecilos - Freeform, this is gay...so gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 18:39:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9084919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackyM/pseuds/JackyM
Summary: "This is not only about touch, but it is also about touch."





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [NikiPaprika](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikiPaprika/gifts).



> SO I wanted to write a thing for a dear friend of mine and also wanted to write a bit about Carlos' feelings towards physical affection, and how he and Cecil developed a more physically affectionate relationship and how much they definitely respected each others' needs while it developed!

There were a lot of things Cecil loved about Carlos, and he didn’t hesitate to talk about them. His passion, his hair, his voice, his hair, his profession and all the things it entailed, his hair, and every part of his physical appearance were all part of what made Carlos the lovable person that he was. 

But Cecil couldn’t deny that he really did love Carlos’ hair, and that it had been the first thing about Carlos that Cecil noticed. Not to imply of course that everything else wasn’t just as charming, if not more so, than his hair. Carlos’ hair was just luscious and thick and soft and everything else Cecil liked feeling in his hands when Carlos was lying down on top of him and half asleep and holding one of Cecil’s hands and dozing in and out and occasionally mumbling about something he had to get done but probably wouldn’t, because while work was important, snuggling held a close second that often ran up to a stalemate with work, in terms of importance. 

When they first started dating, Cecil didn’t kiss Carlos as much as he played with his hair. He worried, maybe kissing was a little too much, or maybe it wasn’t something Carlos was too comfortable with, yet. It had taken a few weeks for Carlos to be comfortable with cuddling, for him to feel completely safe with Cecil as a romantic partner, as a boyfriend, as someone he could express physical affection to. Cecil felt it’d be best to wait until Carlos was ready to start kissing him, on the neck, on the mouth, on the jaw, maybe other places further down. But ever since the start of everything, Carlos had been perfectly happy—if not totally accepting—of Cecil running his hands through his hair. In fact, he’d do that even before Carlos had taken up using Cecil as a pillow at the end of a long day. Sometimes, Carlos would be resting his head up against a pillow and Cecil would reach out and feel Carlos’ soft hair under his fingers, and watch Carlos fall asleep, completely relaxed with Cecil’s touch, something he knew was taking a while to be receptive to, in some regards, and something he appreciated Cecil’s understanding in. Carlos hadn’t been in many relationships, and his aversion towards most forms of physical contact had always played a large role in that. Cecil had asked Carlos once, when Carlos was curled up next to him on the couch hugging a pillow, why Carlos had always been okay with Cecil playing with his hair, and Carlos simply shrugged.

“I think it is because I know why you’re doing it. It’s not something with a reason behind it I am now aware of. It’s something that is occurring and I know exactly why you are doing it, so there’s no fear in not understanding why it’s happening. I think that’s why it’s always been a problem for me.”

“What? Not knowing why people are trying to touch you?”

“Yes,” Carlos nodded, biting his lip and reaching out to (gently) take Cecil’s hand and play with his fingers for a moment or so.

“So you…know why I’m playing with your hair, then? I mean, I um. I guess it’s clear to me and maybe most people why, but…is it the fact that it’s so clear that makes you feel comfortable with it.”

“I think so! I know you love me. You told everyone you do! I know you think my hair is beautiful. And when humans see something beautiful and soft-looking they want to touch it, that’s how tactile animals perceive things around them. That and by smelling them and lighting them on fire, but it is common etiquette to not light them on fire, because that is rather rude. And for seventy percent of most people, fatal, but, I’m, I’m getting off topic. I’m trying to say while sidetracking myself with scientific facts that are very true and relevant in most circumstances that I understand why you’re doing it and I love that reason. It makes me happy. It makes me feel…nice and tingly?”

“Hopefully not the kind of nice and tingly where you start turning into a tree,” said Cecil, tenderly squeezing Carlos’ hand, “I’d hate for that to happen to someone with hair as nice as yours. I mean I’m pretty sure you’d have a fabulous canopy, but that’s not the kind of thing I can feel in my hands every night.”

Carlos smiled, and closed his eyes. This wasn’t the first time they held hands, but it was the first time Carlos held Cecil’s hand and felt totally, completely relaxed.

~*~

The first time they saw each other naked was similar, except it happened slower and it took a longer time for Cecil and Carlos to both be comfortable. Cecil always had issues with how he looked, and it took some time for him to even feel at peace with Carlos looking at him. Not that he minded it, so much as he worried that he had bodily imperfections that Carlos would balk at, rather than accept. He’d definitely noticed the times Carlos took a gander at his boyfriend and made a cheeky comment about how much he enjoyed the view or flushed a bit when Cecil bent over to get something, but he didn’t know how to respond to that without mentioning how absolutely insecure he was with how he looked, and how he constantly worried that he resembled, well…anything aside from someone attractive, especially to someone like Carlos, someone so attractive it made Cecil’s knees weak sometimes. As for Carlos, the prospect of feeling hands on his bare chest made him panic, even if it was with his boyfriend. The intimacy of it frightened him about as much as the idea of physical contact that low did. And of course, they respected each others’ boundaries on each side of the matter, until they were both ready to take the next step forward. 

When they were, it’d kind of been accidental, but nonetheless accepted by the both of them. Cecil had finished taking a shower, and Carlos was taking his pants off so he could change into his pajamas. Carlos turned around about as soon as Cecil finished drying himself off, and Cecil, suddenly, just blurted out that he loved how Carlos looked. Carlos flushed and said he felt the same way about Cecil. For a few minutes they stood in an awkward silence and then came to each other from opposite ends of the bed, and started kissing. Softly at first, but then more passionately, Carlos slipping into his usual snuggling position on his boyfriend’s chest and lap. They’d kissed like this countless times before, but always fully clothed. And yet, something about the way they were kissing then felt natural, as though clothes didn’t matter, as though nothing was different about this sudden level of intimacy. Carlos felt Cecil’s hands maneuver themselves to Carlos’ stomach and chest as he started rubbing Carlos’ body, feeling the hair there and moaning as gently as he could, simply out of the amount of love he had physically unable to be contained within the confines of his flesh. They were on top of each other then, taking a few breaths here and there and pressing their foreheads against each other as they did so. After a few minutes they just laid next to each other, both completely naked, with little intention other than just staying there and enjoying each others’ company. It was in those few minutes they realized just how comfortable they were with each other, and how no amount of clothing mattered, and they were comfortable with each others’ touch to the point where feeling each others’ skin pressed against the other felt like magic. 

It was later that night when they’d spent about two hours talking about nothing in particular and then stopped saying as many words and then petered off into a soft silence, that Carlos felt Cecil’s hands playing with his chest hairs, feeling Cecil’s warm fingers against his chest. He took Cecil’s other hand into his own and kissed it, and smiled. 

“I love you a lot,” said Carlos, squeezing Cecil’s hand after kissing it.

“I love you a lot too. I don’t know if this will sound weird, but…you feel good, Carlos. I like how you feel against me and how your kisses feel.”

“It isn’t weird, Ceece. Remember what I said about humans being tactile, when we first got together and I was not ready to do much physical contact? Tactile animals enjoy how things feel and that is an important way in which they bond. You feel good too. You always have. Like when you put your hands in my hair! You have been doing that for such a long time and no matter how long we have been together, it will always feel just as wonderful. Because you feel good, Cecil.”

“You always know just what to say,” said Cecil, leaning over and kissing Carlos, “you’re such a smart and handsome scientist. And I’m glad you’re my boyfriend and I’m glad I can feel your body against mine and know that we’re in love and together and that everything feels wonderful when we’re together. And also I’m glad I get to feel your hair in my hands. All of your hair, Carlos. Not just the hair on your head. And I really mean that Carlos. I love your hair and how much of it you have.”

“Ooooooh my,” said Carlos, playfully grabbing Cecil’s nose, “all of it?”

“Mmmhmm,” Cecil mumbled, using both his hands to feel the hair on his boyfriend’s stomach and kissing Carlos’ forehead, “mmhmmm. All of it.”

“I love how you look too, Ceece. All of it. But also your butt.”

“Well, I know that,” Cecil said, bringing both his hands up so he could hug Carlos, “I’ve known that for a while.”

“It looks just as nice when you don’t have clothes on. In case you were worried that was not the case.”

“I know that too,” said Cecil, giggling, “but thank you for the scientific confirmation, Mr. The Scientist. I am very pleased to know that, scientifically speaking, under the most accurate and precise and wonderful intelligent science, that my butt looks just as nice without clothes covering it.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Palmer. I love to tell everyone very true and important scientific facts. It is part of my job to do so!”

Cecil kissed Carlos’ lips then, and the two of them kissed for a few moments before finally settling down under the covers and wrapping each other in their arms and closing their eyes, and relaxing, naked, tired, comfortable, careless, and together, under the covers in the bed they would share forever. 


End file.
